In this modern age dominated by the ubiquitous paperback book we vary rarely encounter books published with hard covers of cloth-covered boards.
They do still exist.
I am currently reading Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language by Patricia T. O’Connor.
Underneath its attractive, wrap-around paper dust jacket is found cloth-covered board covers.
But it is a rarity—since most books only ever appear in cheaper paperbacks.
As a word-wizard I am delighted to report that I now know the proper name for that cloth binding that is used for hard back books.
It is called ‘Winterbottom Book Cloth.’
It had never occurred to me that a special sort of cloth was required for book binding, but this, it turns out, is the case.
And the cloth used was invented in 1853 by a cotton merchant in Manchester named Archibald Winterbottom.
His book cloth was made out of stiffly starched cotton—and the whole point at the time was that binding books with cloth covered boards was miles cheaper than the leather or vellum hardcovers that had been used up to that point.
Such books were unaffordable, except by the very rich.
These new cloth bound books were affordable, and very soon popular authors such as Charles Dickens, William Thackeray and Wilkie Collins had become best-selling authors in the new cloth bound books.
As for Archibald Winterbottom, he first worked for someone else’s cotton firm, and then in 1874 bought his own mill in Salford, and became the largest producer of book cloth in the world—which I now know is properly called ‘Winterbottom Book Cloth.’
He also introduced the gold-stamping and (sometimes) elaborate designs for cloth covers that became characteristics of the Victorian book trade (and can still be found as handsome volumes through second hand booksellers).
Winterbottom Book Cloth continued to dominate the book publishing industry until the middle of the 20th century—when the cheaper paperbacks started to take over.
In the meantime, the Winterbottom family had become multimillionaires.
So, if you ever find one of those handsome old books, as you lovingly finger it you can mutter to yourself ‘Winterbottom Book Cloth’ because you now know the correct name.
Tonight I will join Peta Credlin (back from her break!) for 'Words Matter' on Sky News.
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BOOKS:
* My latest book is called Pray Like This. To look at prayer I do what I do in these Ozword columns: I go through the most famous prayer in the world (The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father) and unpack it word by word—each chapter being a short word-study on a key word in that prayer. There is a total of 21 words studies in all. To find out more, here’s a link to the publisher’s website (where you can buy a copy if you wish): Pray Like This – matthiasmedia.com.au
* My book is Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries -- containing 50 new stories I have written about the great detective. You can find it on Amazon. Just go to Amazon and type in Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries in the search panel. Or use this link: h Amazon.com.au : Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries Kel Richards
* My book "Defending the Gospel" is now in a second, fully revised, edition. You can find it here: Defending the Gospel – matthiasmedia.com.au
* If you're looking for my recent book "Flash Jim" you'll find it here -- Flash Jim, The astonis
hing story of the convict fraudster who wrote Australia's first dictionary by Kel Richards | 9781460759769 | Booktopia
* You can find all Kel's books currently in print here -- Booktopia Search Results for 'kel richards'. We sell books, hardback, paperback, audio, CDs.
* And also here -- Amazon.com.au : Kel Richards
* And you'll find more here -- Search: 4 results found for "Kel Richards" – matthiasmedia.com.au
* Many of Kel's out of print books can be found at ABE Books -- Kel Richards - AbeBooks explaining words explain the term
BY THE WAY...
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
